Prisoner
by danceofghosts
Summary: Soma is kept prisoner in Arikado's house so that the dhampir can keep a close watch on him as Dracula's castle threatens to rise again. Alucard x Soma. Complete.
1. Overture of Sorrow

**Warning: **Slash / Yaoi, Arikado X Soma. Their relationship drives the story, so if you can't accept this pairing, please don't read this.

**Disclaimer: **Castlevania's characters belong to Konami.

Thanks to some feedback from reviewers, I've reworked/extended chapters 1-6. I am very glad that this story has inspired others to write on Alucard/Soma :)

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Overture of Sorrow<strong>

Year: 2037 (Post Dawn of Sorrow)

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><p>Sighs rattled in Soma's throat, turning into groans. An unbearable pain tore at his chest, as if something was grabbing his heart, twisting it and crushing it. He looked down and saw, to his horror, that there was a sharp wooden stake pierced through his heart. The pain began to radiate to his entire body as it burst into angry flames, the intense heat vaporizing his tears and searing his skin. As he felt his flesh dissolving, the sound of his own screaming woke him up and he bolted upright on the bed, his breath coming out in ragged gasps.<p>

The bedroom door flung open. Genya Arikado strode in and cast a concerned look at the distraught youth sitting on the bed with his knees drawn to his chest, head buried in his hands, his hair falling over in a silvery-white mess.

"Get away from me!" he yelled, startled by the sudden presence of the man beside him.

Arikado switched on the bedside lamp, and the dim light that flooded the room calmed the youth down a little.

Soma's breath poured out from his lungs in a slow sigh. "I want to go home. I want to live a normal life."

"That is not possible at the moment. You know that." His black-suited guardian towered over him, his face cold and impenetrable.

"Why is this happening again…why me?"

Arikado said nothing at first as he leaned against the wall, pale eyes contemplating his distressed ward. Feeling a twinge of sympathy arise in him, he replied in a gentler tone.

"I understand this is a grueling time for you. You will overcome it, with my help."

Soma, however, was lost in his own thoughts, as the incident three weeks ago resurfaced into his mind.

_He was taking a shortcut home from school through the woods. The sun had already set, and twilight hung from the sky like a silken veil, its fingers clasping around him. I_t was past the curfew imposed on him by a certain agent of the International Preternatural Defense Force, but Soma couldn't care less. Curfews were for kids, and he was already a college student. Just then, a_ whisper of wind crept in under his white cloak, drawing an involuntary shiver from him._

_Something was there, waiting patiently for him to take notice._

_Pulling his coat tighter around himself and quickening his pace, he tried to shut out the otherworldly presence; all he wanted was to get home, take a shower and study for his biology test the next day._

_~Death would speak with you, Chosen One.~_

_His breath caught in his throat and he glanced up to see a blue-robed skeleton before him, clutching an enormous scythe between its bony fingers. Soma squinted at the grotesque figure and not-so-distant memories began to creep back into him. Death, that powerful being that had stood in his way twice. His first instinct was to search for a weapon to defend himself, but the skeleton made no move of aggression, instead hovering respectfully in front of him, awaiting his reply. _

_"I am listening." His own voice came out slightly unsteady._

_~Would you be willing to rule the castle as my Lord?~ _

_Those words impressed themselves directly on his mind; it was a level of communication far more direct and unambiguous than common speech. _

_"Why me? Again?"_

_~Your destiny as heir to the Dark Throne is inescapable. ~ Its tone was matter-of-fact._

_"And if I say I'm not interested in being the boss of a bunch of zombies?" _

_He stared at the fleshless skull with its empty eye sockets that peered right into his soul, and tried to imagine what its facial expression would be like if it were human._

_~Perhaps you do not understand the full extent of the power you will gain; the abilities which you have displayed in the past two years will only be a fraction of it. If you accept my offer, you will become the most formidable incarnation of the Dark Lord of all the centuries. Human technology is useless against this power, and you will be able to effortlessly enslave mankind. Eventually, you will be able to absorb the souls of all living things and use them to conquer the universe.~_

_"I'm sorry but I'll have to decline," he replied without a pause._

_It was unperturbed._

_~So be it, then. I will leave you alone from now on, and in time, you will make the right decision.~_

_Soma narrowed his eyes, suspicious that he had been let off the hook so easily. "I don't want any tricks from you. Don't touch my friends."_

_~I will not hurt those you care about.~_

_Before Soma could ascertain if the Grim Reaper was serious about his words, its skeletal frame had thickened into a cloud of smoke that enshrouded it and dispersed, leaving behind no trace of its presence. _

_Soma was left with a sick, unsettling feeling at the pit of his stomach._

Since that encounter, he had been plagued by harrowing nightmares that left him waking up drenched in cold sweat. On some days he felt just like any ordinary college student, but some days were agonizing to get by. The experiences of the past two years had accustomed him to physical battles, but how was he to fend off such intangible, spiritual assaults?

"Let me go, Arikado. Keeping me here isn't the best solution."

"I'm sorry. Our intelligence network has found signs that the castle may be reappearing, and you know what trouble this will spell for all of us. It is critical that we keep you under twenty-four hours' surveillance."

"Where's Mina? Is she alright?"

"She is safe; we will make sure of that. But remember, as you are an inheritor to the Dark Lord's powers, the ones likely to suffer are those closest to you."

"I don't need your help. I can deal with this."

"Deal with what?"

"Th-this…" Soma searched for words to describe the demonic forces raging within him. The castle called to him, with its dangers and excitement; his body tingled to wield the power of Dominance once again.

"You don't even fully understand what is happening to you," the older man said, rather condescendingly.

"What I don't understand is why you're keeping me within these four walls when you know jolly well that I can fend for myself out there!"

"You have disobeyed my instructions a number of times," Arikado replied, completely sidestepping Soma's point. "Until you prove that you can behave in a responsible manner, you will have to stay here for an indefinitely period of time."

"What the hell - you've been following me again?"

"Ever since we left Celia's castle, I could sense your inner turmoil. Our foes have realized that this is something that they can exploit."

At this, the white-haired youth made no reply. The fact that the man could read him like an open book made him feel somewhat violated, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"The hunger for power can never be satiated. Succumb to it, and the fate that awaits you will be tragic."

"You have no right to talk down to me until you have defeated me in a proper battle," Soma challenged, his eyes turning intensely blue.

The dhampir cast a wordless glance at the boy. "Fighting you is the least of my priorities right now," Arikado replied coolly, adding as he walked out of the room, "If you need anything, just let my butler know."

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><p>Notes:<p>

-Soma's encounter with Death is based off one of the scenes in the Japanese novel, Akumajou Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku.

- Soma's eye color varies between games and art but I'll go with blue for this story.


	2. Lost Paintings

**Chapter 2: Lost Paintings**

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><p>Arikado's home was a mansion nestled in a secluded area among the woods. Seen from the outside the house had only two storeys, but in fact had four basement levels. Arikado preferred spending his time underground. Sunlight did not hurt him but it was not exactly comfortable for him either, and it very occasionally made him ill.<p>

It was impossible to escape, as the place was secure as a prison. The levels above ground were windowless, there were even a couple of guards were stationed at the exits and whenever he wanted to leave the house for some fresh air, he would be personally escorted by Arikado. The butler was friendly but mostly kept himself discreet and unobtrusive.

Memories of his life as a regular teenager, just three years ago, drifted back into his mind. Cramming for examinations in the library, having lunch with Mina, playing basketball and video games. He wasn't a particularly diligent student but he mostly managed to make it through the semesters with good grades. How simple and carefree life was back then. Would he ever be able to return to normalcy? It was a good thing that his parents were blissfully unaware of the bizarre things that had happened to him, but for how long could he keep them in the dark?

He approached a mirror on his bedroom wall. Its shiny surface reflected the image of a pale-haired nineteen-year-old with cerulean eyes and translucent skin. He was slightly taller than average, with a slender build.

"I am Soma Cruz," he declared to his reflection. But the truth was, he didn't really know who he was.

Perhaps everything was just a nightmare… but the nightmare had gone on for far too long. He thought everything was over last year, but no, those scars were coming back to haunt him yet again. But the experience had also given him a taste of things that he had never dreamt of, like controlling the souls of monsters for instance. He closed his eyes and tried to recall that sensation, that exhilarating rush of power. Maybe, in some dark and twisted corner of his soul, he…

Then his thoughts wandered to Mina. In school, the cheerful, orange-haired girl had been the only friend he had hung out with. He had known her ever since he was seven, and he was completely at ease when he was around her. They talked about anything under the sun. Both of them were only children, and so he cared for her like the little sister he never had.

"_You can do it, Soma. Because I believe in you."_

Those words of encouragement had kept him going all this while. Mina, with her patient and sweet ways, all purity and innocence, was the only candle in the darkness.

"_The first ones to suffer will be the ones closest to you."_

He recalled Arikado's words earlier on. Perhaps it was best this way, that he kept his distance from Mina. If she got hurt because of him, she would never forgive himself – or anyone who dared to lift a finger to harm her.

And what about Arikado?

That enigmatic man with the, statuesque figure, forbidding aura and those beautiful, icy eyes. He had mysteriously appeared when Soma first found himself in the demonic castle, and since then had been following his every move. Soma was put off by his preachy and domineering attitude, since he was little he had always hated people telling him what he should or should not do.

Yet, his thoughts often inadvertently drifted to that raven-haired man. What kind of secrets lay behind those ethereal pale eyes? Sometimes he felt like he knew Arikado, yet did not know him at all. In fact all he knew he had found out from Yoko – that Arikado's other name was Alucard, and he was a half-vampire who had lived more than five hundred years, but had somehow ended up rooting for the humans.

"_Succumb to the darkness, and the fate that awaits you will be tragic,"_ had been Arikado's warning. Was that man speaking from experience? Soma sniggered to himself. Could it even be possible that he had remained pure as a lily throughout the entire six hundred years of his life?

And why was Arikado rooting for the humans anyway? He wondered. Are humans really worth that much effort? Humans killed one another, he thought, committed uncountable atrocities against our own every day. Mankind was a cesspit of hatred and lies, Soma thought as he smiled a bitter, ironic smile to himself.

Perhaps… it was best not to think so much.

As the days passed, Soma gave up all thoughts of escape as he found himself getting accustomed to his new life, and soon he lost his sense of time passing. He even began to enjoy roaming around the labyrinthine house, although he wished there was a monster or two hiding in the dark corners for him to kill. As for his guardian, he was always busy – he was a workaholic – and Soma only got to see him occasionally at dinner time.

He became drawn to the various kinds of weapons and artifacts Arikado had collected throughout the centuries. Some of those artifacts looked familiar to him, he was sure he had seen them somewhere.

Once he wandered into the library and a painting on the wall caught his attention. There were four people in the portrait; a male and female couple were seated and behind them was another pair. The man on the top left corner intrigued him. His tall, regal form was dressed in an ornate black coat with gold trimmings, with a waistcoat held together by silver buckles, and his large cuffs were folded back till his elbows. A voluminous cape was draped over his shoulders, clasped by a metal chain. Long, wavy flaxen locks fell over his face, but Soma recognized those features, especially the eyes; they were Arikado's.

On that long-haired man's right was a petite lady with large, brown vivacious eyes, wavy sandy hair cascading over her shoulders adorned with a green ribbon. She wore an emerald-green dress with a gold sash that highlighted her tiny waist. The girl seated in front of her had a more docile look, with lighter blond hair tied up, exposing her long, slender neck, and she was decked out in a simple and elegant dark green gown. Soma had no idea who the girls were. But the man in the chair, with the unruly brown hair and the staunch gaze, wearing a long blue coat… that man looked familiar.

All the secrets held in the house, in its owner, in himself... he would discover them slowly.

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><p>"I wouldn't venture down there if I were you, young man."<p>

The voice that emerged from behind him made him jump a little. Soma halted midway along the staircase leading down to the fourth basement of the house and turned around. It was the butler. He had moved so silently that Soma hadn't noticed he was being followed.

"And why not?" Soma narrowed his eyes at the trim middle-aged man with chestnut hair and forest-green eyes. "Arikado never said anything about not allowing me to explore the house."

"My master sleeps down there in the day, and has requested not to be disturbed." The butler's tone had changed to something a tad gentler, but still firm.

"Oh, I almost forgot. He's half a vampire, right?" Soma lips turned up in a wry smile.

There was no answer from the man. Soma strained to see his facial expression; it was partially hidden by the shadows.

"You seem afraid of him. Is he that scary?"

"Master Arikado is not exactly human, as you know, but he is not evil. In fact, in all the years I have known him, he has always made the right decisions," the butler replied matter-of-factly.

"Pfft, he drugged me and dumped me into the car, and when I woke up the next day I found myself here. If you call _that_ trustworthy – "

"I'm sure he has his reasons for doing what he did."

"I wouldn't complain if he had beaten me fair and square instead of using such underhand measures. Maybe he doesn't dare to fight me," the teenager smirked.

"My master will not unleash the full extent of his powers, except in a true emergency."

Soma raised an eyebrow. "You seem to know him very well, huh?"

Again, his question was greeted by silence. The butler's restrained attitude only served to further pique Soma's curiosity, and he ventured further.

"So… Arikado lives in this big house alone, with all these servants?"

"Yes."

"Doesn't he ever get lonely? Has he ever had a wife or girlfriend?" The teenager chuckled inwardly at the unlikely image of Arikado taking his wedding vows.

"My master values his privacy."

"You're saying that this guy's lived for hundreds of years and has _never _taken a liking towards anyone?"

"Well, I am sure the human side of him desires some form of companionship," the man shrugged evasively, his face still bearing no expression.

"How about friends? Does he ever invite guests here?"

"No. You are the first outsider to set foot in this house."

Soma's blue eyes widened a little at the revelation. He couldn't deny that it made him feel somewhat honored, and just for a brief moment he forgot he was a prisoner. As he stared into those blank green irises, a thought suddenly flickered across his mind.

"Wait - are _you _human, or are you something else too?" he asked.

The butler replied with a mere smile, before giving a slight bow and retreating gracefully up the stairs.


	3. Longing

**Chapter 3: Longing**

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><p>Arikado's study room was spacious and elegantly decorated. The carpeting was beige and a large black-lacquered desk stood against the far wall, an antique black lamp seemed to grow out of the desk and emitted a dim orange glow. The man was sitting behind the desk, working intently on the computer. He was dressed in a simple but expensive-looking, long-sleeved white shirt tucked into black jeans – it seemed that black and white were the only two colors he could tolerate.<p>

The phone rang and he picked it up swiftly.

"Yoko?"

"Yes it's me. Did you receive the satellite images?"

"I did, but they are blurry. I'm trying to make them out."

"I have a bad feeling about this. Let me know if you find any clues."

"Absolutely. Keep me updated too."

"Thanks. By the way, how's Soma?"

"Our friend is perfectly safe and happy here. Anyone or anything that wants him has to get past me first."

"Good to hear that. See you around. Take care in the meantime!"

"Till then."

Brief and to the point, as always. Arikado hung up and continued concentrating on the images with furrowed brows, while the sounds of Bach's Partita played in the background. He heard the door open. It was Soma, looking fresh in a midnight blue turtleneck and gray jeans; apparently he'd been lucky enough to have a peaceful night. The white-haired youth strolled casually into the room.

"What is it you want?" Arikado looked up with a hint of impatience on his face.

"So you like this style of music?" Soma asked, settling his eyes on the raven-haired man and noticing how he looked a little less intimidating without his black jacket.

"I do."

"Tchaikovsky's piano concertos are more of my style."

"They are beautiful, yes."

Soma thought for a moment how Arikado's voice reminded him of the ocean: deep, tranquil, fathomless. The man had returned his attention to the computer screen, so Soma made himself comfortable and swept his gaze around the room. A falchion and a shield hung on the wall; he wondered if they were real or decorative. There were also a few paintings, he glanced through them with mild interest, but one in particular caught his eye.

The portrait was of an attractive young woman, probably in her early twenties. Her black dress brought out the fairness of her skin, flaxen long curls cascaded loosely over her shoulders. Her slender eyes, framed with long champagne lashes, held a look of dignity and kindness. She smiled at Soma, and in that instant he thought she had moved. As he gazed at the painting, a warm fuzzy feeling of happiness crept over him. Her eyes seemed to be able to calm the demons within him, and her smile told him that he was loved no matter what. Soma stood transfixed, wishing for her to emerge from the painting, because he knew that with her around all his nightmares and troubles would be gone, and everything would be alright again. Only _she_ had the power to stop the madness. If only she could come alive… but the woman simply sat there looking at him, and Soma snapped out of his reverie.

_What was that about? _He frowned.

"Who is that person in the painting?" he turned his head towards Arikado and asked.

"My mother," Arikado muttered and continued typing furiously.

"Oh." Soma threw himself onto the black leather couch beside the desk, stretching out his legs.

Silence for a few moments. Soma got up and boldly took a few steps closer to the man.

"Hey, that harpsichord upstairs – do you actually know how to play it?"

Arikado grunted.

"Do you really sleep in a coffin? Can I see it?"

A sigh of vexation escaped Arikado's lips. It was getting fun trying to provoke a response from this frigid man, Soma thought, and he wondered if he would ever lose his cool. He leaned his body slightly against the desk such that he was a few inches away from the dhampir.

"That painting in the library… who's that girl in the green dress beside you?"

Silence.

"You're no fun at all."

"I don't have time for your silly questions."

"You are the one who locked me up in this stinky, miserable… dungeon-like place!" Soma glowered.

"Do you think I enjoy having you?" The reply came lightning fast.

"Fine! I get it." Soma threw up his hands. "Sorry for disturbing you, mister oh-so-serious government agent. I'll get lost now." He rolled his eyes and made his way out.

"Next time, boy, knock before you come in."

Soma spun around and snapped. "Don't call me a boy, I'm already nineteen!" and walked out slamming the door behind him.

Arikado drew a long, heavy sigh.

A week later, as if to make amends for his gruff attitude, Arikado handed Soma a present – a smartphone with internet access, so that he could continue to keep in touch with the outside world. Soma was a little taken aback at the gesture, but he was pleased nevertheless. Another thing that did not escape his notice was that his guardian had begun to show more concern towards him, instead of merely focusing on keeping his behavior under check. Arikado's austere stance seemed to have softened slightly; he was now inclined to make an effort to understand Soma, to see him not merely as a dangerous threat to the world, but as a teenager trapped in an unusual predicament that no other teenager had ever faced.

Though they lived in the same house, the two seldom crossed paths, and most of the time the silver-haired youth was left to his own devices to entertain himself. When he got bored of playing games on the cell phone he decided to check out the impressive collection of tomes in the library. Reading had never been one of his interests, but he soon found himself to devouring book after book on history and alchemy.

When he got the chance, he bombarded Arikado with all kinds of questions about his past and his half-vampire heritage. Some answers were straightforward. Arikado spoke of his father's intermittent reign of madness throughout the centuries and his quest to oppose him, and of his love for his mother, who was the single driving force of everything he did; it was for her that he had persisted in fighting alongside humans. All other answers about his personal life were either curt or evasive.

He was still harassed by nightmares every now and then; those episodes ranged from unpleasant to absolutely hellish.

One night, he had a somewhat different dream.

_He was victorious._

_Hundreds of black ethereal wisps swarmed into his body like locusts, invading his every pore. He gasped and squeezed his eyes shut; it was too much for him to assimilate at once. The electricity surging through his body was several times its usual intensity._

_"I...I don't want them! Not a single one!_

_He slumped weakly to his knees with a thud, his entire body trembling uncontrollably from the pandemonium inside him. When every single vein was filled to the point of bursting, he forced a deep breath of air into his aching lungs and screamed._

"_Stop!"_

_His body gradually quietened and he could breathe again. The strength returned to his legs, and they moved on their own accord, lifting him to a standing position. The absorption of souls was complete. He bathed in that exhilarating sensation of power for a moment. Images of his friends and enemies flashed before his eyes in an instant; he knew he could crush anyone or anything that stood against him._

_It suddenly frightened him, this feeling of being under the power's control. He didn't want that. He, Soma Cruz, would be his own master. For a moment he stood unsure of his next move, and the memory returned to him. He had done it before and he could do it again. Focusing his will on the army of souls, he purged every single one of them from his pores. They rushed out in a shapeless black cloud, pulsed, swirled around him and then disappeared into the cracks in the walls._

_When the last remaining soul was expelled, he was left with a sense of relief, but yet with it came a horrible emptiness, a loneliness that no words could describe and no other human could ever understand. _

_A rumble reverberated throughout the castle as the ground shook violently beneath him and the walls began to crumble. He closed his eyes as exhaustion overwhelmed him, and he felt a strange urge to perish together with the castle. _

_The presence of another person in the room snapped him out of his trance, and when he turned around he saw, or rather, felt the hazy figure of Arikado looking at him. Before everything faded away, he caught a glimpse of the black-suited man's face. _

_The man was smiling at him, and __happiness enveloped him like a warm blanket. _

_And then it was over._

Soma's eyes fluttered open. That had been a dream, of course. Arikado never smiled at him in real life.

Since then, Soma found himself longing to see more of his guardian, to hear his dark, full-toned voice. The dream resided in a little corner of his mind, that happiness he had felt in the dream was not unlike the feeling he had gotten from that painting in the study. He pictured what the dhampir's face would look like if he smiled, or - god-forbid – laughed. Sometimes other kinds of fantasies crept into his mind, and his imagination ran riot till it made him embarrassed. Why was he so drawn to Arikado? Perhaps it was the unearthly strength and beauty, perhaps it was the mysterious aura, perhaps it was something else. He tried to fight off this strange excitement, telling himself that he was just lonely, or it was his raging hormones. But the longer he stayed at the house, the stronger his desire grew, flourishing like plants that were all leaves without a sign of flower.

Back in school, Soma wasn't exactly the sociable type, but that didn't seem to hinder him from being adored by members of both genders who were attracted to his delicate looks and stylish dressing. Some of his classmates had sent him secret love messages, some even openly make advances towards him, but he had brushed them all off. As for Mina… he could tell from the way the girl behaved around him that she was fond of him and regarded him a little more than just a brother.

He could not imagine Arikado taking a fancy to him. In fact, he couldn't imagine that cold fish expressing love towards anyone, for that matter. But he badly wanted the dream to be real.

It was true; he had many important problems to overcome at the moment. His struggle to control his craving for power, to sort out those memories belonging to that stranger who shared his soul, his fear of losing his mind and humanity…but all that would not matter as long as the dream became real. That was all he wanted.


	4. Miserable Pile of Secrets

**Chapter 4: Miserable Pile of Secrets**

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><p>The dining area was modernly decorated but a brass chandelier hanging from the ceiling imbued the room with an air of archaic elegance. Soma and Arikado sat opposite each other, both having their meal in silence. The dhampir had just returned from an investigation and was donned in his somber black suit as usual.<p>

For the past few days Soma had been torn between whether or not to do it. The teenager had never, ever in his life made the first move towards anybody; he never had to. In school he had always been the heartbreaker, the cool indifferent guy. But this evening he decided he would confess his feelings, to a _man – _and not only that – the coldest man he had ever met. Soma closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath to prepare himself for the herculean task. He was about to open his mouth when his guardian spoke instead.

"So, did you have any bad dreams last night?"

"Uh yes," Soma replied, caught slightly off guard by the fact that it was Arikado who had started the conversation.

"Tell me about it."

"Well… … everyone was dead," he said tiredly.

"What do you mean, everyone was dead?"

"Everything was on fire, and I was standing there in the middle of all those dead bodies, thousands of them. And they weren't lying on the ground, the bodies were held up by spears that pierced through them and stuck onto the ground… the bodies were like… the spears went in through their ass and came out of their mouths…and there was so much blood, blood all over the ground."

Soma swallowed, looked down and realized that he had lost interest in his steak.

"You alright now?" Arikado looked at him.

"I'm fine, it- it's nothing," the boy shrugged it off and forced a smile as he poked his food around with his fork. It wasn't the dream that was bugging him now.

"Can I ask you something?" He raised his head to face his companion, keeping his voice casual.

"Go ahead."

"Why did you take me prisoner?"

"Why, so that I can keep an eye on you, of course, and make sure you don't get up to any mischief."

"I have a better reason," Soma offered.

"And what is it?"

"Destiny." His blue eyes were fixed upon the older man's flawless features, observing his expression closely.

The dhampir frowned slightly. "Destiny?"

"Yes, and I'm not referring to that 'destiny' that Death has been babbling about."

"So what is it you are talking about?" He asked, a flicker of amusement creeping into his face.

"Er- well." He couldn't do it. He was going to chicken out, after all.

"Go on. I'm curious to know what a boy like you has to say about destiny," he said. His condescending tone incensed Soma, and the youth inhaled sharply, wrestling to keep his composure in check.

"Isn't it pathetic that you're living alone in this huge mansion? Don't you wish you had someone to keep you company? I mean, you're half human after all."

Arikado shifted slightly in his seat, put down his cutlery and clasped his hands together, resting his elbows on the table. "Yes, I suppose you are right. How very perceptive of you."

"Stop being so patronizing," Soma snapped petulantly.

"Hmm? I'm not. I was being sincere."

"I mean – what if that person was… me?"

"You?" The dhampir raised an eyebrow quizzically.

He had to take the plunge. It was now or never.

"I read that in the seventeenth century…it was not uncommon for men to openly have…relations with other men, and for kings to take male lovers." Soma immediately wished he hadn't spoken, but it was too late.

"Apparently so. This dates back to the ancient Greeks." Arikado did not miss a beat as he replied in a clear and steady voice.

"So… have you ever been in such a relationship?" Soma realized he had been holding his breath and let it out in a rush. He could not believe he was actually saying all this.

Arikado returned his gaze directly, never faltering. His face was blank and unreadable.

"What do you think?"

"Uh – I can't really tell. You never told me anything about that part of your life."

"Perhaps I shall let you figure that out yourself?" The dark-haired man revealed a cryptic half-smile.

Taking that response as an encouraging sign, Soma pressed on, trying to breathe evenly.

"Arikado?"

"Yes?"

"Would you think it's crazy if…if I told you…"

"What is it, Soma? Stop beating about the bush."

"I-I can't stop thinking about you," blurted the boy as a deep and furious crimson spread over his cheeks.

Arikado paused for a second, and then turned his gaze away and fixed his pale-gold eyes on a vase in the far corner of the room. He grew very still and lifeless like a sculpture, and it seemed as if he had stopped breathing altogether. The dhampir had the ability to do that at certain times when he was pensive but trying to mask his thoughts. His face gave away nothing as he remained quiet for the next few moments, while Soma grew more restless and tormented by the minute, heart thudding so loudly that he was sure Arikado could hear it from where he was sitting. After what seemed like eternity, the man finally spoke, but without glancing at Soma.

"And why do you think I should care?"

The boy's eyes widened. Disbelief crept over him, followed by dismay. He stood up staring at the man opposite him, at a loss for words.

"Not in a million years, Soma," Arikado continued, making each word slow and deliberate. There was now a hint of smug callousness on his face.

Anger replaced disappointment and consumed Soma in a warm quick rush.

"Damn you Arikado. Damn you to hell!" he yelled, choking back tears.

"I already am."

Soma grabbed his drinking glass and made a movement as if to smash it over his unmoving guardian's head, but flung it onto the ground next to him instead. Then he whirled around violently sending the chair crashing onto the floor and stormed out of the room.

Arikado sat there staring at the glass fragments scattered on the floor.

_Old habits die hard_, he mused.

That evening Soma went to bed as usual. But as he laid his head on the pillows the tears began flowing and he wept stifled in the sheets. He was furious with himself for behaving in this way, but he could not help it. "I hate you, Arikado," he sobbed, banging his fists on the pillow. Then he got up, kicked the table and smashed the crockery. When he heard footsteps coming up the stairs, he grew quiet immediately, waited until the footsteps died away and he slumped exhausted on the floor.

* * *

><p>(Author's note: I prefer to use the name 'Alucard' during his private moments)<p>

Alucard spent the night in the library, unable to sleep or do any work. That particular incident in the evening had affected him more than he was willing to admit, and with it, the ghosts of his past had decided to unceremoniously tag along and keep him company for the night yet again.

As he gazed up at the portrait of an old friend on the wall, the parting words of the man echoed in his mind.

"_I will forever remain close to your heart, Master Alucard."_

That had been almost four hundred years ago, but the memories of Lyudmil, his former servant and companion in the castle, remained. Back then the two had been very close, nearly inseparable. Till this day he could not forgive himself for turning Lyudmil, even if it had been to save his life. His dear friend and faithful servant had at one point become a bane to humanity and Alucard had had to shoulder the responsibility.

Which was why he had refused to turn Maria, choosing to watch her die instead. His eyes grew moist as he gazed at the picture of her in her favorite emerald dress and gold sash, recollecting his time spent with the silly but optimistic girl who had made him happy for a while. For him, she had given up a normal life and future, left behind her folks and abandoned everything she had. Despite his protests, Maria had done all that, just to stay by his side.

"_Alucard, look at these lovely flowers! One could crush them if one is not careful enough. They're tightly clustered and exceptionally beautiful."_

"_Just like you humans."_

"_And that includes you and me, doesn't it?"_

The girl herself had been like a beautiful and fragile rose, brightening the dreary castle and his life for that brief moment and then fading away with the ebb and flow of time, as all humans did.

His thoughts floated back to the present, to his hot-blooded young guest, or rather, prisoner. Volatile, but definitely alluring, and not just ordinary, pretty-boy alluring. He recalled the way Soma had looked at him that evening with those eyes, smoldering with darkness waiting to be unleashed. He remembered, too, the throbbing of his heartbeat which he could hear from a few feet away, and the rich thick smell of his blood. Besides those was another feeling that he couldn't put a finger on. Alucard could not deny the fact that deep down, that boy had somehow awakened something that he had never felt with anyone else in his entire life.

But _no_, this was wrong, he admonished himself for entertaining such a thought. He could not yet again corrupt those whom he cared about. The boy currently had more on his plate than he could handle, and he was supposed to help him, not complicate matters. The steel barriers had to be there. What he did that evening was right. Better to kill all his hopes than to…

The dhampir buried his head in his hands and sighed. He always thought he had the answers to everything, but he realized now that the longer he lived, the less he knew. Strategies for dealing with every conceivable kind of supernatural threat, he had all of them at his fingertips. Monsters fifty times his size, he could take them down. Hellfire, dark metamorphosis, he had a formidable arsenal of spells; he could travel anywhere he wanted as a bat, wolf or mist. But when it came to humanity's oldest and messiest problem, he was always stumped.

* * *

><p><span>Notes:<span>

- Lyudmil is not an OC; he's a canonic character from the radio drama, Nocturne of Recollection. His and Maria's lines were taken from the drama.

**Thanks for reading and I love my reviewers! Each review is precious and a big encouragement to me.**

(It's also nice to know that those Dracula references didn't go to waste, heehee.)


	5. Snow Angel

**Chapter 5: Snow Angel**

* * *

><p>Silence ensued for the next few weeks, and neither Soma nor his guardian mentioned the awkward incident again. Before long, it was pushed to the back of their minds, faded into a vague memory. A calm settled over Soma and it seemed that his heart had died never to be rekindled. He wanted the incident to be forgotten as quickly as possible, and he swore never to make a fool of himself again.<p>

Weeks passed into months, and so far nothing alarming had surfaced from Arikado's and the church's investigations. The alert level was lowered. Arikado also noticed that Soma had been behaving himself and so he was now less inclined to regard him as an extremely dangerous person.

Winter soon arrived, and Soma made a request to be let out of the house for a day, to pay a visit to his best friend at the Hakuba Shrine. Arikado relented.

_The visit might do him good,_ he thought. _He needs someone like Mina. Perhaps she will be able to heal the scars within him and set him back on the path to normalcy._

"You look like you're dressed for a funeral," Soma quipped as they got out of the black Honda Legend. Arikado was dressed in a black suit as usual, but this time with dark glasses and a black umbrella to shield himself from the glare of the sunlight. He made no reaction, as usual, a fact that Soma had gotten used to by now.

As the two made their ascent up the seemingly endless flight of steps leading to the Hakuba shrine, memories came flooding back to Soma as he recalled the fateful day when his visit to view the solar eclipse had transformed his life forever. When they reached the top, Soma could not help gaping in awe at the scenery; the shrine took on a different character during the different seasons, and no matter how many times he visited the place, it never lost its magic.

Nestled by a thick forest, the shrine stood out singularly against the majestic backdrop of mountains. Right now the tourist spot was nearly empty likely because of the freezing weather. Everything in the landscape was draped in a veil of pure white, and a thick unbroken carpet of snow covered the ground.

Burying his face into his fur collar, Soma glanced dumbfounded at Arikado, who was impervious to the cold in his ordinary business suit. As they reached the gate, they were greeted by the familiar sounds of feminine laughter, as a girl with orange hair and huge doe eyes ran towards them. It was Mina. The vermillion color of her robe shone brilliantly against the contrasting white of the snow.

Arikado took off his sunglasses and gave a polite bow, just a head bob, towards the priestess. She returned the gesture and turned to Soma excitedly.

"Are you alright? You didn't reply to my email! I was worried sick about you!"

Soma smiled and put on a brave front, he always did so when he was with the girl.

"I'm fine, don't worry. Glad you're safe and sound too."

Mina nodded quickly, eyes sparkling. For some reason the boy felt a slight pang of guilt as he gazed at her earnest face.

"Have you been visited by any strange apparitions lately?" enquired Arikado, who was never anything but businesslike.

Mina shook her head.

"And how about Yoko?"

"She's fine too," the girl replied. "She comes here very often."

"Okay. Give me a ring if there's anything."

Mina nodded, and then let out a gasp. "Oh dear, I forgot I have something to attend to. I'm so sorry, I have to run!" She turned around and scuttled towards the back of the shrine, disappearing among the trees.

For a moment after the girl left, Soma gazed in wonderment at the Japanese camellia blooming gracefully under the weight of the thickly settled snow. Arikado looked at him and noticed for the first time how the sunlight cast shadows of his long eyelashes onto his cheeks, how his soft white locks framed his delicate oval face, and blended so perfectly with the fur collar of his coat that it was hard to tell exactly where the hair ended and where the collar began. He wondered if the hair felt as soft as it looked. He simply stood there looking at Soma, a picture of white angelic perfection in the snow.

Seeming deep in thought, the pale-haired youth's hand rose absently to the pendant he wore around his neck and began fingering the purplish-red gemstone. Caught in the rays of the sun, it shone blood red. Arikado's interest was diverted to the object.

"Where did you get that stone, Soma?"

The youth's eyes fluttered as he snapped out of his thoughts. "This?" He glanced down at his pendant.

"Yes."

"I found it at Celia's castle... can't remember exactly where."

"And you have been wearing it ever since?"

"Hmm... yes."

"Does it affect you in any way?"

"Nope."

The ringing from Arikado's cell phone interrupted the conversation. "A call from the church?" He mumbled as he answered it, turning around and moving a few steps away so that the boy could not hear what he was saying.

Suddenly, a high-pitched scream rang out from afar. A stab of panic shot through Soma as he recognized it as Mina's voice. Without a moment's hesitation he sprinted towards the direction of the sound. _It must be Death, _he seethed as his eyes searched the thick woods. _That bastard had promised not to hurt her!_

Arikado followed close behind. Both halted their steps abruptly as their senses alerted them to a preternatural presence in the forest. An eerie chill ran through Soma, but this time it was not from the cold weather. The sinking feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach materialized in the form of a silhouette looming malevolently ahead.

Amidst the snow-capped trees a humanoid, faceless figure stood at least twenty feet tall, flanked by a pair of massive leathery ebony wings that spread out impossibly large into the sky, its deformed torso bulging with unspeakable things. Mina stood in front of it, frozen with fear, tiny and vulnerable.

"Mina!" Soma yelled as he dashed towards her.

"I'm okay! But wh-what is this?" The girl asked in a small quivering voice.

Neither of them could identify the creature. Soma glared at where he thought its face should be and clenched his fists.

"Hurt her and you die."

An oily mocking laugh slithered into his mind_. "You want to protect her? With what?"_ it sneered, and in that same breath, it raised one huge claw, nails as long and sharp as rapiers, and brought it down towards the girl.

Soma's body moved faster than his mind as he rushed forward and threw himself in front of Mina, pushing her out of the way. The creature's rapier-like nails, all six of them, plunged deep into his chest, slicing through the thick fabric of his coat as effortlessly as they pierced his skin, yet stopping short of puncturing his vital organs. Blood oozed out steadily, the crimson blood screaming against the whiteness of his coat and the surroundings. The youth's face twisted in pain as he clutched wildly at the claws, gasping for breath.

Arikado made a movement; the monster lurched as streams of its life essence tore from its body and whirled towards the dhampir. It thrashed about, weakened but very much alive, its nails still buried inside Soma. Blood continued flowing from his wounds, forming a pool at his feet. He stood there immobile for a few seconds.

Deep within Soma, something awoke.

Past the agony and fear of imminent death, walls inside him crumbled and a soothing river surged and coursed through his veins. He willed it to spread further till numbness engulfed his being and the pain in his chest vanished. The world began to melt into black, and his eyes fluttered shut.

The white angel turned a shade darker into gray, like a painting with its hues adjusted, no longer matching the pure whiteness of his surroundings. He grew very still, as if he had become a statue of his former self. A thick and unearthly aura rose from the statue, and surged and pulsated expectantly. The face no longer held anything resembling humanity, and the eyes opened and began to glow unnaturally, promising painful, unpleasant things.

Sensing something oppressive, the monster attempted to retreat, struggling to withdraw its claws from its opponent.

Suddenly it shrieked as the ground beneath it burst into flames. As the fire engulfed it, the misshapen torso writhed like a tortured snake and flapped its useless wings, and its leathery skin began to melt with a sickening smell. The forest shone a reddish orange as the burning creature thrashed about making inhuman groans as the livid orange tongues ate it inside and out. Even in the throes of death, its voice slithered into Soma's mind.

"_Fool. You have still lost the battle."_

"_No_." Soma snarled, eyes flashing a crimson that matched the pool of blood on the ground. "I am in control now, and you will bow to _me_."

But the creature had already burnt to a crisp, leaving a smouldering pile of ashes.

Soma's body convulsed as he felt something invisible enter him, before he collapsed onto the ground and lay unmoving. He looked just like an ordinary teenager, exhausted and battered, and he was still bleeding. Mina knelt beside him, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Soma!" cried Arikado, as he lifted the unconscious boy with his arms. "I will bring him back," he told the girl.

"Please… take this… save him!" She placed a tiny vial into Arikado's hand.

"He will live. His dark powers will hasten his recovery," he assured her. "This place isn't safe anymore. Go to Yoko's house right now!" he ordered.

Mina nodded, wiping the tears off her face.

* * *

><p><em>He was running, running like the wind in the forest, with the night sky smothering him like a blanket of darkness.<em>

_"Where are you? Come back to me!"_

_He halted his footsteps when he heard a rustling among the leaves. The youth's silhouette became visible among the trees, standing motionless with his back towards him. His heart almost bursting with relief, Alucard wanted to sprint over to him, but something made him hesitate a little. Instead, he took slow, careful steps towards the youth._

_W__hen he had fully closed the distance, Soma turned around to face him. The dhampir's breath caught in his chest as b__lue eyes shimmering with an unnatural light rose to meet his own.__ __ The youth's __ slender face was tilted upwards at him, silvery locks half-obscuring his eyes, which were heavy with regret and sorrow. _

__"What's wrong?" Alucard asked softly, as _he reached out and gently held Soma's cheek._ _Moonlight washed over the youth's pale hair and features, giving him a ghostly, ethereal appearance, but even like this, he was heartbreakingly beautiful to the dhampir.___

_Soma's lips parted hesitantly, and he whispered plaintively,_

"_I'm sorry…"_

_Alucard's throat constricted as those blue eyes began to burn crimson, scorching him like rays of hellfire._

"_No, Soma, please… No…" _

_The youth's silhouette faded gradually into darkness, leaving him gasping and clutching at empty air. Almost in the same instant a blue-robed, skeletal figure appeared among the shadows, hovering above the ground, clutching a vicious-looking scythe. The deity's__ otherworldly voice echoed directly inside his head.___

_~"Ahh… if it isn't Young Master Alucard."~ _

"_Give back Soma!"_

_"It would be in your best interest not to stand in the way of our plans, Young Master."_

"_He is innocent. Leave him out of this nefarious game of yours."_

_~"The boy is born to rule the darkness, and it is an honor to be chosen by my Lord."~_

"_No. He is mine, mine to protect." _

___The skeleton's lipless mouth twisted into a grimace. _~"As stubborn as ever, I see. If I were you, I would let him choose freely. Keeping him by your side is of little use."~__

___"And I will fight whoever tries to take him away, be it god or demon."___

__The Grim Reaper's black, cavernous eye sockets bore into the deepest recesses of his mind, reading his fears and desires, and its__ inhuman cackle reverberated through the forest.____

_~"Your attachment to the boy is so... human. However, it will lead to your downfall, and you will see that nothing can stand in the way of Destiny; nothing can hinder the return of the Dark Lord. "~_

"_As long as I walk this earth I will not allow it!" _

_~"Ahh... Then we shall see how many places you can be at once..."~ With that, the deity waved its scythe in a sweeping gesture and disappeared._

* * *

><p>OK...so I read at the Wikia that the pendant hanging around Soma's neck in the DoS artwork could possibly be the crimson stone, but I'm not sure.<p> 


	6. Companion in Darkness

**Chapter 6: Companion in Darkness**

* * *

><p>Soma had lost a massive amount of blood, but he was recovering steadily, though not as quickly as Arikado had hoped. For the next few days he drifted in and out of consciousness. Arikado insisted on personally nursing him back to health and refused to allow anyone into the room, not even the butler. He moved his workstation into the patient's bedroom, and diligently and promptly attended to the boy's every need. He seldom needed sleep, but when he did he slept at the table beside the bed, not once letting the boy out of his sight.<p>

Right now Arikado sat glued to his laptop at the table, typing out the report of the Hakuba Shrine incident and getting increasingly perplexed by the minute. He simply could not identify the creature despite delving into his centuries of experience. However one thing was clear: the evil was leaking out from the sealed castle. The alert level was now raised and the shrine was barred from visitors. Julius Belmont was summoned from France, where he had taken up residence. He was worried for the aged man's health – Julius had recently recovered from heart bypass surgery - but the renowned vampire expert wielded the most effective weapon against the creatures of the night.

At the same time he was communicating with a special intelligence team led by Julius; the team had been deployed to Romania, near the eastern Carpathian mountains, where some kind of demonic presence had been detected.

_The dark forces are gathering,_ he thought, _waiting eagerly for their master to emerge to rule them. _Arikado wished he could personally be there to assist Julius, as he was more familiar with the area than anyone else, having grown up and spent most of his life in Romania. However, he had insisted on stationing himself in Japan, because he could trust no one else to handle Soma.

Feeling a headache emerging, he decided to take a break and shut down his computer. He took a glance at the sleeping Soma, who just then, stirred with a groan escaping his lips.

"Need anything?" he asked as he strode briskly over to the bed.

"Ugh, I need the bathroom..."

Seeing how frail he was, Arikado lifted him out of the bed.

"No - don't, I can walk," Soma protested weakly. "This is embarrassing."

His guardian ignored him and carried him to the bathroom, and when Soma was done he carried him back and very gently placed him on the bed.

"Dammit, I hate it when you treat me like a kid," Soma muttered, lying down.

"You _are _a kid to me," the man replied, then added, "but that doesn't mean I'm not proud of you."

"… proud of me?"

"You did well. You were brave to save the girl," said Arikado, a rare but genuine smile on his lips.

"I had to. Couldn't let anything happen to her. And besides - " He paused for a moment.

"Besides what?"

"I really did want that thing to kill me," he said pensively.

Arikado felt a tightening in his chest as he stared at the youth, wanting to take him in his arms and comfort him.

Soma sighed as he winced slightly in pain. "Maybe…it would have been better if it had killed me instead."

"Ssh. Don't talk anymore." The older man coaxed softly as he pulled the blanket up to Soma's shoulders. "Good night."

Soma nodded and closed his eyes as his fatigued body and mind drifted off into oblivion.

Arikado continued gazing at his sleeping form, so fragile and vulnerable, his blanched face almost as pale as his hair. _He looks just like an ordinary teenager_, he thought, _but cursed with such a heavy burden on his shoulders._ His heart wrenched when he recalled what the boy said, because he understood exactly how he felt: the feeling of wanting to die, of being trapped by his own destiny, the self-loathing. It had taken him nearly five hundred years to conquer his own bloodlust.

_"I believe in you, Alucard. You can do it."_

Maria's gentle voice sang inside his mind. Her life had been transient, but her words, and their impact on him, were forever, just like his mother's. Five hundred years, but it had been worth the fight. He remembered that the day he had emerged victorious over himself, was also the day his father had been wiped off the face of this earth for good - in the year 1999.

Could Soma win his own battle? It was a colossally difficult one, no doubt about that. Arikado knew his father only too well; whatever the old devil wanted he would never stop till he got it, and there were all too many who were eager to help him.

_But yes, Soma will win the battle._ He was sure of it, somehow, deep down beneath the dhampir's cynical and world-weary self, he was sure. The boy's courageous actions at the shrine had given him a sense of hope and clarity. _His heart is yet pure, and human._ Throughout his life he had seen many selfish and weak humans, but there were also gems, shining amidst the rubble. And he knew Soma was one of them.

* * *

><p>"Arikado?" Soma was sitting up, knees drawn to his chest. Two weeks had passed; his injuries had almost fully healed. He was looking much fresher, and the color had returned to his cheeks.<p>

"How are you?" Arikado strolled over to him. Seeing the light return to the boy's eyes undeniably made him happier than he had been for a long time.

"Great. I'm feeling much better today."

"That's good." He sat down on the bed, placing a glass of water on the bedside table.

"You know what?"

"Hmm?"

"Death spoke to me in a dream last night," Soma said gravely.

"And what did he say?"

"He said he would buy me the latest Playstation if I agreed to rule the castle."

"Soma..." The man sighed, knitting his brows. As much as he tried to stay calm, the fact that he was wrapped around the little finger of a teenager was beginning to infuriate him a little.

Soma chuckled out loud when he saw the look of exasperation on Arikado's face. He took a sip from the glass of water, then leant back on the bed. Both sat there without a word or movement, listening to each other's breathing. Soma spoke again.

"Hey, I noticed something."

"What is it?"

"Well… … I have never seen you like this before."

"Like what?"

"I have never seen you panic like the way you did over me," Soma spread his lips into an impish grin as he drew his face closer to his guardian's. "And, you were calling out my name in your sleep."

"Huh. It was only because – " the man mumbled something unintelligible and averted his gaze, but the slight flush creeping into the dhampir's pale cheeks did not escape Soma's notice. The chinks were beginning to show in that cold, impassive armor he wore, and this emboldened the teenager.

"Say it."

"Say what?" Arikado frowned.

"Why you made such a big fuss over me," Soma continued grinning. "Why you're always here when I open my eyes, why you tuck me in every night." He looked at the older man expectantly with clear blue eyes, a few stray strands of silver falling over them.

Arikado reached out and brushed aside those strands with his fingers, then withdrew, and sat there contemplating the youth for a moment.

"Because," he sighed deliberately, "I don't want you to go around setting fire to my things. You ruined that nice patch of forest at the shrine the other day," he said with a deadpan expression.

"You asshole," Soma cursed and scowled at him. "You and your stupid mind games, I hate you." Raising one leg he tried to kick Arikado off the bed.

"Mind games?"

"Stop acting coy. I know all about your sordid past," Soma lied.

Arikado's eyes widened slightly. "You need to watch that temper of yours," he half-chided.

"_You_ need to watch out because some day when you're asleep I'm going to thrust a stake through your goddamn heart!"

"Too bad," Arikado smirked, lowering his voice into a somewhat suggestive whisper. "I will be the one doing the thrusting."

A soft laugh escaped the dhampir's lips when he saw Soma's frozen reaction. "Didn't someone mention _destiny_ or something of the sort a while ago?" He was using his patronizing tone again.

"What - I - " It was Soma's turn to blush as he recalled his disastrous confession.

"Alright, I admit I went overboard. Let's put all that behind us, shall we?"

"What do you mean? Put what behind us?"

"Forget what I just said - those wanton words. I was merely jesting with you." Arikado lifted the duvet and gave the teenager's shoulder a gentle push to make him lie down. Soma refused to budge, and grabbed the man's sleeve instead.

"But I _don't_ want it to be a joke. I - I really wish we could -"

"Don't wish for things you can't handle, Soma," Arikado said plainly. As he gazed at the teenager's flushed face, delicate lips slightly parted, the sound of his wildly beating heart calling out to him, that maddening desire clawed at his insides again. He dug his fingernails into his palm and gave himself a mental slap in the face. A six hundred-year-old dhampir, getting all flustered over a mere brat; how unbecoming.

_Your attachment to the boy is so... human._

Those words spoken by Death in his dream fluttered across the back of his mind. Seized by a sudden panic, he grasped Soma's face between his hands roughly and spoke urgently,

"I want you to promise me something."

"Depends on what you can offer me. Can you give me a better deal than the Reaper?"

"I'm serious. Look at me!"

"Ouch! Can you just relax? What is it?"

"Promise me you'll always stay the same. That you'll never change, no matter what anyone tells you."

"Why should I?"

"For my sake. Just promise, please."

"Okay, I promise."

* * *

><p>That night, as Arikado dozed off while working on his laptop, a strange sensation came over him - dared he imagine it was happiness? He knew it was hardly the time to feel like this, with all the problems with the leaking castle and all; nevertheless, he felt himself enfolded by a blanket of peacefulness and certainty. <em>I believe in you, Soma. You can do it.<em>

When he woke up, he found Soma sitting at his feet, leaning against him, gazing absently into space. Slowly, he lifted his hand and began to caress the boy's hair, running his long fingers tenderly through the silvery-white locks. _They are indeed soft to the touch_, he thought, _just like new snow_. Soma shifted slightly and nestled his head onto his lap. As he stroked the hair, Arikado looked down and saw that the boy's eyes were glistening with unshed tears, and once again he could hear the rapid thudding of his heartbeat.

"I still don't know your real name," Soma murmured dreamily.

"Adrian," he replied, longing for he knew not what.


	7. Duet Before Dawn

_Special Thanks to:_

_-LadyArmster for her detailed reviews and for being such a big source of motivation_

_-LateNiteSlacker, Selfish Vampire Mint, Reona Fox (never thought my story would appeal to a male reader :P)_

_and to each person who has reviewed, fav-ed, subscribed - Thanks for your support!_

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Duet before Dawn<strong>

"I still don't know your real name," Soma murmured dreamily.

"Adrian," he replied, longing for he knew not what.

"Hmm. That's a nice name, though a little common these days."

No response from the other, just the continued caresses. Soma pressed his head against his guardian's lap, letting his mind drift deliciously under the light pressure of the fingertips on his skull. His body was aflame with all sorts of new sensations, and the pounding of his heart was becoming uncomfortably loud and obvious. He ransacked his mind for something to say, anything to break the silence and to distract himself from the awkwardness of his desires.

"Hey, you haven't answered my two questions yet."

"Hmm? Which questions?"

"I had asked you that day in the study room. Who's that girl in the green dress in one of your paintings?"

"You are a persistent little critter, aren't you?" The older man mused, and then continued in a restrained tone. "Her name's Maria Renard."

"I see." Sensing that his companion was clamming up, Soma decided to let the topic go. He lifted his head and turned his face up towards Arikado with a childlike grin, his bright sapphire eyes gazing inquisitively into the enigmatic pale-gold ones. "And what about the harpsichord? Can you play it?"

The dhampir's lips folded into a slight smile. "I'll show you," he said, and he rose and made his way towards the door. Soma bolted up and followed him.

The maroon-carpeted living room on the second storey was one of Soma's favorites in the mansion. In the middle of it stood the harpsichord, decorated with ornate carvings, paintings and inlays of pearls and other precious stones inside and outside its wooden body. Next to the antique instrument towered its bigger, modern counterpart - a glossy black concert grand piano. Arikado strode gracefully towards the harpsichord and lifted its lid. His height made the keyboard instrument appear even smaller.

"Where did you get it? How old is it?" Soma asked, curiously inspecting the painting of angels on the underside of the lid.

"I acquired it in Italy, some time in the 1800s."

Suddenly a slight gasp escaped Soma's lips; something else had caught his eye. It was a violin case lying on a shelf just behind the harpsichord. Soma walked excitedly towards it and without asking for permission, opened the case and stared into it. "Wow," he gushed as he lifted out the violin with one hand and took out the bow with the other, while Arikado looked on with amusement. A flicker of interest lit up his face as the white-haired youth tucked the instrument under his chin and began tuning the strings one by one, turning each ebony peg carefully. When he was satisfied, he lifted the bow and drew two long notes with a steady tone, as if testing the violin out, and then, he began to play.

Arikado's eyes widened with surprise as he recognized the tune as the theme of the first movement of Bach's Violin Concerto in E Major. As if on cue, he sat down at the harpsichord and began to play the keyboard accompaniment, matching Soma's speed. The youth's long and slender fingers flew agilely over the violin's strings, maintaining a pure, crisp tone in true Baroque style. The steady, relentless rhythm of the sonata propelled them forward, with Soma executing flowing, pitch-perfect melodies, and Arikado providing the dry, tinkling harmonies on the harpsichord.

The dhampir glanced up at his partner's face. The violinist's eyes were closed, delicate eyelashes sweeping across his cheeks, _a look of such beauty and innocence._ He smiled pensively, his carefully guarded happiness beginning to leak a little.

They stopped at the end of the movement. Soma was still enjoying himself, and without looking at the other, he began to re-tune the violin. After thinking for a few seconds he poised the bow again and began coaxing out the theme of Liszt's _Liebestraum_. Again Arikado understood what he had to do; he stood up swiftly, moved to the grand piano and began to improvise the accompaniment. The warm, rich sound of the piano spilled into the room, intertwining with the violin's melodies.

The violin part reached a pause. It became the Arikado's turn to display his virtuosity on the piano with sweeping runs and arpeggios in the high registers. Soma returned with the theme an octave higher this time, drawing out the notes with heightened passion. His partner answered with the same intensity on the piano, raising the dynamics a notch, and both their melodies surged and rose in a crescendo until they reached a climax. As the final wistful notes of _Liebestraum_, a Dream of Love, faded away, both remained still for a few seconds, before Arikado turned to look at his partner.

"My dear boy, you have astounded me," he said, genuine admiration in his eyes.

Soma frowned. "I said stop calling me a boy."

"I didn't know you could play the violin," Arikado smiled and looked up at the slightly bashful youth standing beside him.

"There was never a need to tell you," he shrugged.

The older man continued earnestly. "Truly, I have never met anyone who could make my violin sing like that,"

Soma was clearly flattered by his guardian's compliment, although he tried not to let it show too much. Holding the violin upright by the neck, he examined its dark mahogany body. "This is really, really old, but it sounds fantastic."

"Yes. I'm sure you know that the older the violin, the better it sounds. This is around three hundred years old, and was made by a member of the Stradivari family."

"Holy shit! A Stradivarius! It probably costs at least a million dollars now."

The dhampir let out a full-throated, hearty laugh. "If you like it so much, you can keep it."

"Really? You're giving this baby to me?" Soma's blue eyes opened as wide as saucers.

"I had bought it as a collector's item, but I can't play it. You seem to have an affinity to it, so why not keep it?"

"Wow! I don't know what to say – thanks!" Soma was completely beside himself with joy. He wanted to reach forward and give his guardian a hug, but instead turned and carefully laid the antique instrument back into its case. "By the way, I've always wanted to ask, have you met any of those composers?"

"Not Bach. But Liszt, yes I had met him sometime in the nineteenth century, in Hungary."

"What was he like?"

"Franz was a womanizer," Arikado smirked. "And a supremely vain and self-absorbed man. But one can't deny that he was one of the greatest musicians that had ever lived."

"Oh," Soma chuckled. "So what they wrote about him was true."

* * *

><p>It wasn't easy to keep track of the passing of time in the windowless mansion, but Soma found himself yawning and his eyelids growing heavy. He realized he had not slept a wink the entire night. Arikado noticed this as well as they strolled downstairs to his bedroom.<p>

"So, are you still having those nightmares?" The man asked.

"Hmm. Not in the past two weeks. I think the dreams are getting less frequent and less intense too."

"That's very good to hear." Arikado nodded slowly, and then continued with an even voice. "I have decided to let you go."

Soma halted his footsteps; they had just reached the outside of his bedroom. "What do you mean?"

"You can return to your home, go back to college when spring comes next week."

"Oh. Why the sudden change?"

"It is not sudden. I have been thinking, and I have realized that there is no point keeping you here. It would be better for you to live as normal a life as possible. I am confident that you will be able to fight your own battle."

"Well… I don't know. I guess I'm really happy to hear that," Soma's tone of voice did not match his words. He had been looking forward to this day, but now that he was finally freed, he wasn't as happy as he originally thought he would be.

"I'm sure you would want to meet your parents again."

The young man snorted. "Not really. They were angry when I told them I would be staying on in Japan and finding a job here after I graduate. I don't think they give a damn about me anymore."

"Nonsense. They are your parents; why wouldn't they care?"

"No they really don't. They're too busy making money ninety-nine percent of the time."

Arikado sighed and shook his head.

"Maybe I could work in your agency," Soma grinned. "It sounds really exciting and... dangerous."

"Not as exciting as you think. You won't like the paperwork and the bureaucracy."

"Gah... but overall it's still cool and exciting. Oh, by the way, I've decided what I want to major in."

"What would that be?"

"Preternatural Biology."

The dhampir raised his brows a little. "They teach that in college now?"

"Uh huh. It will be a piece of cake, since I already know close to two hundred kinds of creepy-crawlies inside out!"

"Indeed," Arikado nodded amusedly. "But you don't know all of them. New monsters are being discovered as we speak."

"Really? Where?"

A cautious pause. "I'll tell you about it next time."

"So… will we still be... seeing each other?" Soma ventured.

An even longer pause. "Not unless absolutely necessary."

"Huh?" Confused blue eyes searched the pale crystal irises of the other for some form of answer.

"I see that you have matured, and can make the right decisions now. My job as your guardian is over. So when spring comes, we will bid each other farewell."

_Farewell? _The final word sent a wave of dismay sweeping through Soma. He felt his throat constrict and struggled to maintain his composure, unprepared for this bleeding of emotion. He thought about his guardian at his bedside, the comforting sound of his deep voice and the gentle strength of his touch. He gazed at the tall figure towering over him, at the androgynous perfection of his features, and his graceful masculinity. He recalled their playing of music earlier on, how natural and responsive they had been to each other. The sharp consciousness of losing Arikado pierced him like an ice pick; at this very moment he realized how hard he had fallen. "But why? Why are you doing this?" He asked.

"What is wrong? Is this not what you had wished for?"

"You know what I'm talking about! After all you've said and done, how could you just tell me we're going to part ways just like that?" Soma felt his face grow hot with anger as his heart thudded frantically against his chest.

"I have not done anything."

"Adrian," he said, lowering his voice. "Don't you feel anything towards me at all?"

The dhampir flinched when addressed by his real name. He turned away, braced one arm against the wall and rested his forehead on it. "Yes," he admitted softly. "But I… can't."

"Why?" The youth's voice rose a notch in intensity. "Is it because I'm the reincarnation of some monster? Is that it?" He demanded, treading dangerously close to the subject that both been avoiding for the past months.

Arikado squeezed his eyes shut. An image crept unwelcome into his mind - the ashen statue at the Hakuba shrine, its deranged crimson eyes containing a millennium of evil. He willed it to disappear, replacing it with an image of Soma playing the violin, his face calm, focused and angelic.

"I- I really don't know what's going on," the youth pleaded. "I'm just Soma Cruz. I've never hurt any innocent people in my entire life, never thought of hurting anyone!"

"I know," the dhampir said in a choked whisper, still facing the wall.

"Please, Adrian. Look at me. I'm really just a human, made of flesh and blood. I know you still don't trust me. You've been keeping some things from me. It's alright - I don't need to know all those things, and I don't want to be some dark lord. I just... want to be with you. " The tone of his last words wavered, but he fought back tears. No, he would not cry. He would show Arikado that he was a man.

The dhampir swallowed, drew in a deep, shaky breath and turned around, his eyes bloodshot. He reached out with quivering fingers and touched Soma's cheek, lightly, ever so carefully, as if touching a white camellia. As he stood there gazing at the trembling youth, he envisaged those flowers he saw at the shrine the other day, so delicate and yet blooming so hardily under the snow.

Soma clutched the older man's shoulders tightly and buried his face into his collarbone. "You said you were proud of me," he continued uttering into the man's shirt. "I did everything you asked me to. Two years ago, when you told me to destroy Chaos, I proved to you that I could. After that, Menace, I defeated it as well. You told me to protect my close ones, I did. I've never lost a single battle, never failed you once. And yet you still look upon me as if... what else must I do to convince you that I'm not a monster, that I'm just… Soma Cruz…" His voice trailed off hoarsely.

Arikado wrapped his arms around the other and drew him close in a tight embrace. "You are right," he whispered into the soft thickness of the snowy hair. "Say no more."

In this close proximity Soma could hear the otherworldly pulse of the half-breed; he could feel the dark blood coursing through the man's veins. He became aware of his own breathing, the yearning of his body as well as that of the other's pressing against him. As if sensing what he was thinking, the dhampir slowly released him and took a step back. Burning golden eyes locked with aching blue eyes for a moment, and the only sounds in the hallway were those of their hearts beating, each to its own rhythm.

He cupped Soma's chin with one hand and asked gently. "You have been up the whole night. Are you not tired?"

"Um… not really. Just a little. And you?"

He deliberated for a second, before replying. "Dawn approaches. I have not had a good sleep for the past few weeks. I need to return to my chamber."

Soma noticed a weariness in the dhampir's eyes – not the physical kind, but rather, the weight of centuries. "I see. Have a good rest, then," he said wistfully, as his lover slowly turned around and swept down the stairs, disappearing into the darkness.


	8. Fallen Angel

Author's Notes

Firstly, I'm really happy to hear that my fanfic has inspired some readers to do fan art, and I would love to see your art.

Thanks again to_ LadyArmster_, _Reona Fox_ and _Selfish Vampire Mint_ for your continued support and feedback. It's interesting to hear perspectives from three writers of different styles.

I also want to shout out a big 'Thank You' to those of you who have told me that you find my portrayal of ArikadoXSoma convincing. I'm glad that there are people who think that this pairing works, because in almost all the fan stuff I've come across, I see things like 'Soma is Alucard's dad', which is not true, and is something I have avoided throughout my story. My idea of reincarnation (assuming it even exists) is that it is a 'recycling' of the soul and not the individual identity.

But enough talk! Time for some vampire action...

**WARNING: sexual content, male-on-male**

**Chapter 8: Fallen Angel**

Soma made his way down, down to the fourth and bottommost basement of the mansion. He knew exactly where the room was, because he had explored every nook and cranny of the house during his stay. The structure of the lower levels was rather convoluted, but it was really no big deal to him, since he had navigated castles that were possibly ten times larger. The stairways were devoid of any kind of lighting, and every descending step he took made his heart pound faster with a heady mix of excitement and trepidation. Ever since his powers had been awakened at the shrine, that restless thirst within him had been growing, demanding to be quenched by the waters of the fathomless ocean that beckoned him. What kind of secrets lay beneath its still, calm and icy surface? Was there no end to its teasing and tormenting? He was determined to find out before he left this mansion.

Groping his way in the pitch black darkness, he eventually found himself facing a closed chamber. He felt the door knob with his hand, twisted and pushed. The door opened silently and he peered into the room, eyes straining. A faintly familiar smell greeted him, something he could not put a finger on, but it tingled his senses. His eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness and he managed to make out the raised platform somewhere in the room, as well as the wooden coffin on top of it.

He held his breath and took slow, careful steps towards the human-shaped wooden box. With both hands he gave the lid a tentative shove and it slid open easily. As expected, his guardian lay inside immersed in deep slumber. The loose long-sleeved shirt he was wearing was undone, revealing a triangle of flesh, and his hair fell loosely around his face. Soma wished for some light - candlelight, torchlight, to see his guardian's features. No sound of breathing came from the stiff sleeping form; he seemed truly dead to the world, completely unaware of the intruder gazing upon him.

Suddenly, a hand reached out from the coffin and grabbed Soma by the throat. The stunned youth gasped and struggled as Adrian's hand began to squeeze. "Stop it! It's me!" he choked and forced a ragged breath, trying to pry the steel fingers off his neck. Only then did he realize that this was the dhampir's instinctive behavior, to grab and strangle anyone who disturbed him in his sleep.

In the thick, inky darkness Adrian's eyes shone an inhuman gold. Caught in his unyielding grip, Soma's mind whirled with thoughts on how to defend himself against a sleep-deprived half-vampire. As the pressure on his windpipe tightened, he began to black out, when he felt a familiar sensation rise inside him. _Shit_, he thought, as his body began charging with power. His aura surged and rushed forward like a tornado, and he felt the hand let go of his throat instantly.

Relieved, he stood there coughing and wheezing, and as his eyes regained their focus, he saw, or rather, felt a cloud of mist emerge swiftly from the coffin. The noxious vapor swirled and swept past him, and before he could decide on his next move, the man was suddenly behind him, one hand grasping his hair and pinning him immobile against the side of the coffin.

"Why are you here?" The dhampir brought his lips close to Soma's ear, deep voice wrapping around him like rich silk, tinged with a slightly raw and bestial quality.

Soma uttered no sound. He tried but was unable to turn his head, so he stared at the inside of the coffin. It looked like it might be lined with velvet; he could hardly tell in the darkness.

"You need to be punished, boy. Always barging into my room like this," the man whispered menacingly. With his preternatural strength, he locked the struggling youth effortlessly in place.

"Let me go." Soma hissed, breathing heavily. "Or I'll kill you."

"Really?" Adrian brushed his lips against his ear, drawing a shudder from the youth.

"I'm not as weak as you think."

The man began to run his lips along the back of Soma's neck, intently feeling the throbbing pulse. "I never said you were weak. What I meant was... could you really bear to kill me?"

"It's not within my control actually, so, don't try me."

"Ah, that means you do not have enough self-control." The dhampir's breath was like a line of fire on the smooth and tender skin.

"And how about you?" Soma snapped, getting incensed. "How much self-control do _you _have? When are you going to pour out all your dirty little secrets?"

"After you pour out yours." His captor sneered and gradually relaxed his grip, and his long, strong fingers began to explore the trembling body.

At this point Soma did what he had wanted to do for a long time; he turned around, reached up and pulled the taller man's face towards his own. He kissed his guardian, gently at first, then deeply and fiercely, hands running over the ivory smooth expanse of the other's chest. The skin was slightly cold to the touch. Adrian returned the gesture with equal intensity; their mouths locked, hungrily devouring each other. Soma closed his eyes and ignored the salty metallic taste of his own blood as the fangs brushed his tongue. Finally, he was embracing the dark waters that he had yearned for. He felt himself drowning, surrendering to its mysterious depths. He would die without regrets. Yes, he would drown in this, there was nothing he wanted more in this instant. His hands relished every inch of his lover's body, as he felt his own desire screaming inside him.

Somehow, he had no idea when or how, his shirt had ended up on the ground. He felt his pants coming undone and Adrian's hand stroking him gently yet firmly. Feeling his face turn hot, he clutched Adrian's arm and buried his head into the crook of his neck, while the man continued his caresses.

Adrian paused for a moment and lifted the youth's chin, gazing at his expression intently through vision attuned to darkness. He was satisfied with what he saw, in the same way he was satisfied when he managed to coax out the perfect sound from his piano.

"Don't stop," Soma beseeched, his eyes glazed with need. He gasped as the man knelt down and continued with his mouth, working persistently on his member with his lips and tongue. Soma winced slightly at the sharpness of fangs and dug his fingers into his guardian's hair, making helpless little sounds. The pressure exerted by the older man's mouth was driving him insane. He felt his self-restraint slipping further away, as his own hips began to move involuntarily. Adrian continued to caress his engorged organ with his lips and tongue, glancing up occasionally to observe the look of pleasure and frustration on his partner's face.

It was Soma's first time, and he was young, so he did not last very long. His pulse and breathing grew into a frenzy, and his face twisted with the violent explosion between his legs. He let out his breath in a sigh, and slumped back contentedly against the coffin.

However, his moment of respite was short-lived.

"Now, be a good boy," said the stronger man, his deep voice taking on a threatening edge. Soma only had a second to catch a glimmer in the dhampir's eyes. It was a feral glint, the look of a wolf staring down its prey. Once again the youth felt himself being grabbed and pinned forcefully against the coffin. He gripped its edge and stared helplessly at its velvet inner lining, heart thudding in his throat. He flinched when he felt a hand around his waist, pulling him close as if the better to hold him for the assault.

Suddenly, a stab of panic shot through Soma as his dream of the impaled war victims flashed through his mind.

"NO!" he let out a strangled cry.

"Come on, let's be fair," said Adrian, sounding perfectly reasonable, but with a hint of eagerness that Soma had never heard before. "_You_ were the one who came here looking for me."

The darkness was suffocating, as was the man's weight against his naked back. Unable to see what was happening behind him, Soma's stomach clenched in anticipation and fear.

"Ouch," he inhaled sharply.

"Relax, that's just my finger," the man coaxed, exploring the depths of the squirming youth's body. "Please, don't struggle. It will only make it worse for yourself."

Soma acquiesced, and then the pain tore into him, drawing a string of expletives from him.

"You have a really dirty mouth, don't you?" Adrian chided softly. "I am already trying to be as gentle as I can," he said, pushing himself in bit by bit.

_Feels… cold, really cold._

Soma kept quiet, gripping the edge of the coffin till his knuckles ached. The dhampir withdrew only long enough to ram into him again. The youth writhed and made weak protesting noises, and this evoked a deep visceral groan of pleasure from behind. Refusing to give him further satisfaction, Soma bit his lip, concentrating all his efforts into keeping silent, while his body rocked uncontrollably with the dhampir's movement.

Adrian continued to thrust into him slowly and steadily with his unearthly strength, while running his lips along the back of his neck. He reached a little lower on Soma's back and skimmed his fingernails over the sensitive nerves there. The light but sharp touch caused Soma's hips to buck involuntarily, and his own movement caused Adrian to sink a little further in. Now the chilling sensation was leaving him, as though the friction was truly thawing the dhampir out.

It seemed to go on and on forever, Adrian's relentless rhythm, each stroke sending a lightning bolt through Soma's body. But with the excruciating series of shocks there was also pleasure, of a dark, titillating kind. It sent every nerve in his body burning. _When will he ever stop? _He knew he had brought this upon himself. There was no return; he was languishing in the lowest depth of hell, trapped in the unending cycle of sin, torment, and thirst. Soma gritted his teeth, accepting his punishment for his impulsiveness. He had not imagined the pain to be of such intensity. Thoughts raced wildly in his mind. How long it had been for Adrian, perhaps a century or more? How many times had he given in to his instinctual urges?

The thrusting became erratic and slowed down, and Soma thought he was going to stop. He was wrong. The dhampir changed his angle and pushed harder.

"Argh!" Soma cried out. Pain and pleasure radiated through his body in circles, and fighting against that beast behind him was completely impossible. Still, he would not beg for mercy, lest he was mocked for his weakness, but he felt his legs growing weak and beginning to give way.

He felt strong fingers sliding against his thighs and onto his manhood, gently arousing him again. "Adrian..." The name escaped his lips without himself realizing it, and he reached behind blindly with a numb hand, but the man ignored him, lost in his mindless revelry.

_I...can't bear it..._

Soma did the only thing he could do: he grabbed Adrian's wrist, felt for a second the throbbing pulse beneath the half-breed's skin, and sank his teeth as hard as he could into it, tearing the cool flesh. The blood oozed out and it tasted sweet, rich and intoxicating. Its prickling warmth flooded his brain, and its smell drowned his senses like some kind of narcotic. As the warm liquid flowed into his mouth and massaged his throat, Soma felt his pain slowly fading away, and continued to suck at the wound, careful not to miss a single drop.

As for Adrian, the pain in his wrist did not deter him, but seemed to drive his enjoyment to an even greater height. His hammering quickened and he was now making little animal noises, breathing raggedly. Tightening his grip on the youth's shoulders, his entire body tensed, and with a few more urgent strokes he finally let out a loud grunt as he convulsed inside him.

When the man finally fell back from him, Soma's knees buckled and he sank onto the ground panting, dazed and somewhat drunk. Adrian stood bent over the coffin for a few moments, and then settled beside his exhausted lover, gazing at the pale, subdued face hidden in a disheveled mess of silvery locks.

"I am sorry," the dhampir said softly as he reached out and gently drew his companion close.

Soma nestled his head into his guardian's chest, eyes fluttering shut. "I hate you," he said drowsily. "You were so rough."

"It had been a long time for me." Adrian sighed, folding his arms around the youth sprawled half across him. The silence in the chamber was punctuated by their gradually slowing heartbeats. Outside, the sun was going down; the dhampir sensed it as he ran his fingers through the slightly damp hair, sorting out the tangles.

"Your blood tastes... good," Soma murmured as if in a dream.

"Sleep, my beautiful angel," Adrian soothed. In the darkness, their bodies rose and fell together in the same rhythm, and their smells mingled as one.

Question:

What two things was Soma being punished for?


	9. Pale Truths

Love Notes

**Selfish Vampire Mint **and** Lady Armster: **Glad you liked the previous chapter.

****Reona Fox**: **'Bipolar' sounds like the right word to describe Soma.**  
><strong>

**Black Rose Cat**: Yay, someone who agrees with me on reincarnation! **Ikiwa:** Looking forward to seeing your Castlevania art :)

In this chapter: Mina looks like a helpless little girl in the games, but I realized that she should already be twenty by this time, so I thought I'd portray her a little more mature here.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: Pale Truths<strong>

* * *

><p><span>Year: 2038<span>

Soma thanked his professor with a polite bow, before stepping out of the school building. The clock tower struck six. Most of the students were gone by this time, but he had stayed behind to finish a project that was overdue.

Feeling a sharp gust of spring breeze on his face, he pulled his coat tighter around himself as he trudged slowly through the half-melted snow. It was a welcome change to be out in the open, he thought, as he took in the surroundings and sensations. The smell of fresh pine, the wind against his cheeks, the crunch of thin ice under his feet. The sky was lit a pale orange with hints of faded blue; the sun would be retreating soon.

Raucous laughter rang out from afar; it came from a group of youths walking towards the main gates. Students going about their regular activities. He wanted to be a part of them, but something inside told him that he didn't belong. He spotted a couple standing beside the clock tower; the boy gave his girlfriend a peck on the forehead, and she smiled at him and tossed her long, wavy hair before the two walked off with his arm around her waist. It looked so natural and effortless, this open display of affection. If only he could be like them.

* * *

><p><em>He was sitting at the dhampir's feet again, and the dhampir was stroking his hair. He reached up, took the hand and pressed it to his cheek. <em>

_"Adrian…do you regret doing it?" he asked._

_ "I haven't done anything," was the man's answer. Whether there was a trace of humor in it or not, he couldn't exactly tell from the voice._

_"You piece of shit," he said. _

_The man remained silent, his lips buried in that soft white hair. _

_"I want to see your face next time." _

_"Hmm?" _

_"It was so dark… I couldn't see anything. I thought you looked different. Your hair seemed longer or something."_

_"You must have been dreaming, boy."_

_"Damn you." _

_"Aren't we both?"_

_"You're more damned than I am."_

_"Hmm… I suppose you are right."_

_"And you still haven't said it."_

_"Say what?"_

_"Those words that I want you to say."_

_But there was only silence, nothing more._

* * *

><p>Rain began to patter down, light and chilly, glistening on his white coat. He paused for a moment as if unsure of what to do, and then he quickened his footsteps and half-ran towards the main building for shelter. As he set foot inside, he heard a melodious female voice calling his name from behind. He turned around and saw an orange-haired, doe-eyed young lady, dressed casually in jeans and a bright red sweater, running up to him. The color of the sweater made her face glow.<p>

"Hey guess what?" She chirped, beaming effusively at him.

"Oh er - hey Mina, what's up?"

"I made it to medical school!"

"Congrats!" He smiled supportively.

"Thanks! I was really worried I couldn't make it." Her laughter tinkled like the high notes of a piano.

"I remember when we were ten, you told me your dream was to become a doctor," he said. "Now you're one step nearer to fulfilling that dream."

She nodded, amber eyes sparkling. "And how about you? How are your Preternatural Biology classes?"

"Piece of cake," he grinned.

"Oh?" She raised her eyebrows. "Maybe we should compare notes some time. Human anatomy and monster anatomy. Hmm."

"That would be interesting."

"So how are you now? Still having those bad dreams?"

He shook his head. "Not anymore. Strangely, they're all gone."

"That's wonderful! I'm happy for you."

"Yeah." Soma took off his coat absently and searched for something. "Crap. I think I left my phone in the lecture hall," he muttered.

"Oh, let's go look for it, then."

"No... I think I've found it." He said, looking slightly annoyed with himself as he slipped the phone back into his pocket.

Mina cast a concerned glance at him. "You look a little out of sorts lately. What's wrong?"

"Well... nothing," he shrugged.

"Hey, since it's raining outside, let's have dinner at the cafe, shall we? It's been some time since we had a good chat. You still haven't replied to my email from eons ago!"

He nodded, and they went into the café at the student centre. Mina got herself a sandwich, and Soma settled with just coffee.

"You can tell me anything, you know. We've known each other for ten years." She persisted as they sat down at a table in the corner, beside the window. There were only a couple of other students around.

He forced a smile on his lips. "Nothing much. I'm just happy for you."

"Oh, that's so sweet. But are you sure that's it?" She asked, looking at him patiently.

He kept up the smile rigidly, then bit his lip a little as he stared distractedly at her chewing her sandwich. Mina looked slightly embarrassed and covered her mouth; she always tried to be ladylike in front of him. After a while, his expression turned into something a little more solemn.

"Mina, what's your purpose in life?"

"My purpose in life?" She swallowed, then continued without hesitating. "I want to be a surgeon, so that I can save people's lives."

"Sounds nice."

"How about yours?"

"I don't know. Maybe… convincing people that I'm Soma Cruz?" He said sarcastically.

"Aww, don't be like that. Arikado says you're doing great."

The name made his pulse speed up. "What's your impression of him?" He phrased the question carefully. The girl knew him so well, she pretty much could read his mind almost all the time. She had a ninety percent accuracy rate.

"Arikado?" She thought for a while and said. "Well, I think he's a nice guy, a real gentleman. I thought he was cold and stuck-up at first, but now that I've gotten to know him better, I think he's a really nice person inside."

"Huh? He's been talking to you?" He felt his face grow warm, and silently cursed himself.

"Yeah, over the phone. After what happened at the shrine, he was so worried that he called me up every other day to check up on me."

"So did he tell you anything about me?" _Too obvious_, he thought, the instant the question slipped out of his mouth. _She's going to suspect something now._

"Oh… not much. He said now that you're getting better, he can finally go back."

His eyes widened slightly, but he struggled to keep his voice casual. "Go back? To where?"

"Didn't he tell you? He's returning to Romania. He says he misses it. Well, it's his homeland after all."

"He's going back for good?" _You are just kidding, right? I hope you are._

"Yes. In fact, he's flying off tomorrow, I think. They're all asking for him. Apparently something cropped - " she stopped and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oh dear! I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

"What's going on in Romania?" His heart was thudding against his ribcage. It must have been the coffee.

"Oh, he really didn't tell me much, but I know Yoko's there right now. She said she's helping to set up a magic barrier or something."

"What else did he say? Does he talk to you often?" _Too many stupid questions, but I don't care anymore._

She had finished eating her sandwich and was wiping her lips with a napkin. "Oh yes, he and I get along quite well," she said, and added quickly, "but we're just friends, of course. I just happen to be one of the few people over here that he can talk to, besides Yoko I guess."

He felt a headache growing. "Damn. I feel like an idiot. Nobody ever tells me anything."

"Don't get upset over it," she soothed. "Anyway, shouldn't you be happy that he's finally leaving you alone? You said you couldn't stand him," she chuckled.

"I'm not upset!" _Too defensive._

"But I really think he's not that bad a person. He actually told me to take care of you and to keep you away from bad company."

"I see," Soma said quietly.

"I don't envy his job, you know. He had to come all the way to Japan eight years ago because of you. It must be tiring for someone to keep up a fake identity like that."

Soma kept quiet for a long moment, staring at the misty rain drizzling outside the window. Finally he turned his gaze to Mina, and forced the question out of his mouth. "Do you think a guy like Arikado would ever fall in love?"

"Hmm," she pondered for a moment. "That's hard to tell. But I know he's not the type to settle down with anyone. That I'm pretty sure of."

"You sound like you know him really well," he said sourly. His head felt incredibly heavy now. He wanted to lie down somewhere.

"Are you jealous?" she teased. "Just kidding, I swear we're just friends. Well, after all, Arikado's nearly immortal. Why would he want to settle down with someone and see them grow old and die?" The rhetorical question sounded innocent, yet completely sensible.

It was dark outside, the sun had already set. "You're right, I guess," he whispered.

She gazed at him intently. "Are you alright? You look ill."

"I got to run."

"Well then, take care. I'll be around if you need to talk, okay?"

"Okay."

He stumbled into the nearest toilet and glanced around. It was empty. He stood bent over the sink and ran the tap. A sickening feeling churned in his gut; he really should not have drunk the coffee on an empty stomach. The heavy throbbing in his head was killing him, and he tried to ease it by splashing the cool water over his hot face.

_'It's his homeland after all.'_

_'In fact he's flying off tomorrow.'_

_'It must be tiring for someone to keep up a fake identity like that.'_

The past few weeks had been surreal. The dhampir's breath on his skin, the strong embrace of his arms, the sound of his heartbeat, the weight of his body pressing against his own. He knew the man, yet he did not know him at all. The man shut him out from his world, treating him as though he was nothing but an unwelcome intruder.

_'Why would he want to settle down with someone and see them grow old and die?'_

At last he surrendered to his tears, the sobs racking his body violently. Somehow he had a feeling this day would come, but now that it had come, he couldn't accept it. The man was going to disappear from his life forever. The one and only man in the world who could understand him without him having to utter a single word, the only man who could comfort him in his darkest and most chaotic moments, because the man himself was part of the darkness. The man who made his heart ache so much with happiness and pain. He could pursue him to the ends of the world but he would never have him. Soma felt tired, incredibly tired.

Someone was whispering to him, calling out his name. The whispers seemed to come from the walls and surrounded him from all sides. He rubbed his eyes and glanced behind him, but there was nobody else in the toilet. He felt light-headed, and he gripped the edge of the sink, trying to keep his balance. Perhaps he was in one of his nightmares, he thought, as he stared into the sink, the water dripping from his face.

There was one way he could tell whether he was dreaming or awake. The mirror. If he looked into the mirror and saw his reflection, he knew he was awake. But what if he saw a monster instead?

_Stop being a coward,_ he chided himself. Drawing in a deep breath, he lifted his head.

He froze in surprise at what he saw.

What appeared in the mirror was neither his reflection, nor a monster. It looked like some kind of landscape painting. Snow-capped mountains, lush green forests, cloudy azure skies. The colors were so vibrant and real. He _was_ in a dream, wasn't he? He stared at the image with interest. A couple moments passed before it dawned on him that it wasn't a painting. It was indeed real, as though he was staring at some scenery through a window. He had the strangest sense that he was looking at something he knew. Then his memory jolted. It was a part of the Carpathian Mountains, somewhere between Romania and Serbia.

And then, before his amazed eyes, the landscape began to move, like a scene in a movie. Details became more and more visible to him. The countryside of Transylvania. A castle, set dramatically against the crags of the mountains, looming over the countryside, casting shadows over the entire area.

He closed his eyes and opened them again. Everything was still there, but now something else was happening. The sun in the landscape was sinking behind the clouds, right in front of his eyes, and the blue sky was turning an ominous bloody red. As everything darkened in those few seconds, the castle began to grow larger, moving towards him. He stared at it, transfixed. The castle was beckoning him, drawing him in.

He wondered what would happen if he touched the mirror.


	10. Dance of Illusions

Notes

For the past three years, Soma has been battling the dark forces within and outside of himself through sheer will. However, it is clear that he can no longer fit into the human world, and the only guy who truly understands him, our Man in Black, has *cough* tainted him, and then shut him out. So I guess Soma really doesn't have much of a choice, does he?

As LadyArmster has phrased it so well: _"Their connection to Dracula simultaneously unites and divides them."_

Special Thanks

_Reona Fox, __LadyArmster, __Selfish Vampire Mint, LateNiteSlacker for your encouragement and constructive criticism _

I'm glad I found other supporters of AlucardxSoma: _Black-Rose-Cat, Ikiwa, Vine66, Honeyberries, TehAngryTwinkie -_Thanks!

Reviews would be greatly appreciated!

Update: I have written a short sequel to this story, titled '_Who Are You_'.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 10: Dance of Illusions<strong>

* * *

><p>Alucard awoke with a gasp. He lay still in his coffin for a few moments, waiting for life to flow back into his body. A sigh of exasperation escaped his lips as he wondered what had roused him this time. The sleep deprivation was wearing him down, but the escalating situation in Romania had forced him to stay vigilant for the past few weeks. The sudden appearance of the castle worried the dhampir. He had just been trying to catch some shuteye before departing for Transylvania the next morning, because he knew that once he reached the accursed land there would be no time for rest.<p>

Something was not right. He slipped out of the coffin and checked his cell phone, squinting at the bright light emitting from its screen. Twelve missed calls and seven unread messages. A feeling of dread mounted in him as he read them one by one:

**Where are you?**

_(13 Feb 2038 10.50 pm from Yoko Belnades)_

**Alucard you have to come over now! Over half our men are down!**

_(_13 Feb 2038 _10.04 pm from Yoko Belnades)_

**The monsters are coming out of the castle in swarms! **

_(_13 Feb 2038_ 9.10 pm from Yoko Belnades)_

**We don't have enough trained vampire hunters over here. Please come as soon as you can.'**

_(_13 Feb 2038_ 8.30 pm from Yoko Belnades)_

**Bad news. The barrier has been breached.**

_(_13 Feb 2038_ 7.55 pm from Yoko Belnades)_

**Alucard we need your help. Lots more monsters appearing now… **

_(_13 Feb 2038 _7.28 pm from Yoko Belnades)_

**What's happening? It's noon over here and the sun is going down?**

_(__13 Feb 2038 __7.05 pm from Yoko Belnades)_

* * *

><p>Startled awake by the ringing of her phone, Mina turned and reached for it on her bedside table.<p>

"Hey, Arikado," she answered sleepily.

"Do you know where Soma is?"

"I don't know, he should be at home I think?"

"He didn't pick up my call. Would you know where he has been today?"

"Oh, I had dinner with him this evening. I don't know where he went after that."

"This evening? Around what time?"

"Hmm... six, maybe? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. My apologies for disturbing you."

* * *

><p>It took nearly half a day before the private jet entered the wilds of Transylvania and rolled to a stop at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, where the castle stood looming impossibly large. Alucard stepped out into the oppressive darkness in full battle garb, surveying his surroundings. Chaos had enveloped the entire area; the tense standoff between humans and monsters had developed into a full-blown war. Fires raged everywhere, and around him a few tanks and armored vehicles lay crushed on the icy ground.<p>

A senior member of the International Preternatural Defense Force ran up to him, together with Yoko. The sorceress looked tired, and he could see shadows beneath her bloodshot eyes.

"You're finally here!" She cried.

"Yoko! Get on the plane now. I'll handle this," Alucard said urgently.

She shook her head. "No. I can't abandon this place."

Alucard turned to the man next to her. "Brief me on the situation," he instructed.

"We were caught off guard," the officer said. "For the past few days we only had a few undeads roaming around randomly, but after this place was suddenly plunged into darkness yesterday, there was a huge surge in the number of monsters and they started attacking us in waves. We had reinforcements from the Russian military, but hundreds of those crawling things swarmed us and disabled our tanks, and then the flying ones came and breathed fire on us."

"The monsters seem to get stronger with every wave. Some of them are impervious to our most advanced weaponry and my spells," Yoko added worriedly.

"It seems that someone is controlling them from inside the castle," the officer continued. "We tried bombing the castle but it didn't work. We are going to have to fire a nuclear missile at it."

"I already said you can't do that," Alucard snapped impatiently. "The castle doesn't belong in this world. You'll only end up harming innocent people!"

Alucard looked around. The stench of death and stale blood clung to the air, but there were no corpses around. He knew that the bodies of those who had come into close contact with the creatures of the night had to be staked and burnt to prevent them from being turned. A number of heavily armored soldiers wandered around the base of the mountain with guns, looking unsure of what to do. It seemed that nobody was leading them.

"Where is Julius?" he asked.

The officer spoke quietly, with great restraint. "Sir Belmont … is dead."

"What?"

"We found him outside the castle, drained of blood," Yoko said, moist-eyed.

"Damn it! I'm going up now. This is my responsibility. All of you, get out of this place at once!" Alucard ordered.

"Be careful, Alucard. We will pray for you."

Moving like the wind, the dhampir raced up the flights of stone steps, black cape billowing behind him, long golden hair flying out of his face. Formerly unaffected by the cold, he now felt acutely the sting of the icy gale on his cheeks. As he reached the top he saw that the battlements were partly ruined, but the castle itself stood whole, untouched and defiant. The bright bluish ring encircling it, the barrier meant to keep its inhabitants from coming out, had faded away to almost nothing. Shrouded by a dense, malevolent fog, the fortress of chaos throbbed and pulsated with a sinister energy. Alucard knew it had been brought to life by its master, and was churning out nightmarish creatures from its belly by the minute.

He stormed into the castle, sword and shield in hand. As he blazed through those familiar hallways and chambers, destroying every foe that stood in his way, regret tore at him - if only he had arrived earlier, if only he had been more vigilant the day before, if only he had not let Soma out of his sight. The final flight of steps seemed to last for eternity as he went higher and higher. Soon he found himself outside the throne room, but he hesitated for a moment before entering. He had confronted his father four times, but this time, he was truly afraid of what he would find inside the room.

Grasping his sword tightly with one black-gloved hand, he pushed open the stone door and stepped in.

At the far end of the lavish, red-carpeted throne room, a white-cloaked figure sat casually on the throne underneath an ornate red-gold canopy, legs crossed, head propped up on one hand. He had a look of decadence on his face, eyes closed, soft eyelashes resting on his cheeks like curtains. Dangling between his slender fingers, was a wine glass half-full of something that looked like red wine. Except that it didn't smell like red wine to Alucard.

The enthroned figure opened his eyes, and their inhuman crimson gleam sent a chill running through Alucard.

"Hello, Adrian," he spoke as though the man was not an intruder, but a visiting friend. He ran his gaze longingly over the flaxen-haired, regally dressed half-breed prince. "So _this _is your true appearance."

"Who are you?" The dhampir demanded.

"I'm Soma Cruz."

"No! You're not!" Alucard snarled, pointing out his sword menacingly.

The youth tilted his head and smiled. "Don't you like me this way?" The voice was slightly deeper than usual, with a raw, carnal quality to it.

Alucard burst out, golden eyes ablaze. "You fiend… go back to whence you came! You asked Mother for forgiveness, yet you betrayed her again. And now, you dare to take… Soma…"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he shrugged. "I _am _Soma."

A thick silence fell upon the chamber, and was broken by a single word. "Why?"

The enthroned figure shifted in his seat and turned to face Alucard directly, his movements smooth, almost effeminate. "Shall we rule this castle together? You and I, for all eternity?" He offered, raising his wine glass as if in a toast. "We will make mankind our slaves. Those humans are so _weak _and _pathetic._"

"Why have you chosen this path?"

"Because of _you,_ Adrian." He sounded perfectly calm and reasonable. "You didn't tell me you were leaving Japan for good. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you, so I came here first. I knew you would come and join me," he smiled, showing a hint of fangs.

He opened his mouth to say something, but his vocal chords would not respond. "This is why you became like… this?" He whispered in a shaky voice, his already pale visage drained of any remaining color.

A shadow fell over the young vampire's face, changing it into something mournful. "Yes. It was all _your _fault. You never cared about how I felt. I wanted so badly to be happy with you, yet you hurt me again and again. And you know what I found out? You released me not because you trusted me, but because you wanted to come back to Romania."

"I did all that to protect you," Alucard stared into the crimson eyes almost pleadingly.

"Liar! Stop acting noble!" Soma burst out and spitefully flung his wine glass on the floor. The sound of shattering crystal sent a knifelike jab through the dhampir.

Twisting his lips into a smile that looked more like a grimace, Soma rose from the throne, glowing with a malignant reddish aura. "_You_ are a monster, just like me. We are the same," he sneered. A winged demon familiar materialized beside him, poised ready for battle, its leathery, heavily muscled body contrasting strongly with the slender figure standing next to it.

The demon lunged at Alucard, and he struck out, but his sword hit nothing. The chamber was empty.

All was still.

The white-cloaked figure appeared behind Alucard, hovering in the air like a specter, his devilish servant floating beside him. Alucard's body reacted faster than his mind, and his sword clanged against a massive axe twice the length of his own body - a shockingly huge weapon for one so delicate in appearance. The figure and his servant both disappeared into thin air.

"Come out! Stop hiding!" The dhampir shouted.

A mocking laughter rang out from nowhere. He reappeared above Alucard, baleful red eyes glaring down at him. "You toyed with my feelings. Now it is my turn to toy with you," he snarled as he brought down the great axe.

Alucard deflected the attack. His opponent was gone again, and all he heard was a maniacal cackle echoing throughout the chamber.

The dhampir tensed in anticipation, clutching his sword tightly.

He was behind. Alucard swung out instantly, and then winced as the familiar's claw swiped his arm, leaving a deep red gash.

The apparition that was Soma inhaled, smelling him. "Ah, I remember… the taste of your blood… ten times sweeter and more exquisite than any human's," he said wistfully as he faded away in a shadow.

"You killed Julius, didn't you?" Alucard growled, sweeping his gaze across the empty chamber.

He appeared at the far corner of the room, lips curled into an ironic smirk. "Julius was an old man stricken with disease. I merely helped put him to rest."

The dhampir rushed at him with the rapidity of lightning, and he heard the tearing of flesh as his blade passed smoothly through the youth's shoulder. The sight of his sword lodged in Soma's body sent a sudden streak of panic through Alucard, and he yanked the sword out, sending blood spurting out in a crimson shower.

Soma staggered backwards, his face twisted with pain as he glanced down at the gaping wound in his own shoulder. A look of disbelief and anger crept over him. "So… you really want to kill me," he rasped.

"Master, let us not waste time on this traitor!"The devil familiar urged.

Alucard went very still, his face cold and impenetrable as steel. "Cease this madness now, Soma. Or I will show you no mercy," he warned, raising his sword threateningly.

"I DO NOT NEED YOUR MERCY!" Soma roared in a voice that was not his, as his face contorted with rage. The roar of fury went on and turned into one of agony. His body began to swell as if his skin could no longer contain him, expanding and transforming before Alucard's eyes. In a few seconds, he had turned into a huge dragon-like monstrosity, towering over Alucard so much so that the dhampir barely reached its knee. The beast's eyes were black, glittering orbs, without a single shred of humanity left in them, horns curved out of its temples, and its mouth was filled with teeth as sharp and long as spears. Its gargantuan torso bulged and pulsated, and Alucard could hear the horrific screams of thousands of tormented souls trapped within.

The monster opened its gaping jaws wide, spewing forth a swarm of locusts, hellish creatures created by the Devil himself. Alucard leaped high up in the air as the demonic insects flew frenziedly around the chamber, eager to devour their prey. The dhampir's hands glowed and ignited and he unleashed three orbs of fire, burning the locusts to crisps and sending them back to where they came from. The flames seared the dragon-like beast, but it merely flinched and glared disdainfully down at Alucard with its soulless eyes. It was in no way deterred.

The beast took to the air, its cumbersome figure propelled by a pair of scaly wings that sprouted from its back. The dhampir glided backwards with unearthly speed to the far end of the chamber and evaded the next onslaught of locusts. He looked up and saw that a harpy familiar had appeared, hovering next to the beast. The creature had the face of a human – he wasn't sure whether male or female – and the feathery wings and claws of a bird. The harpy screamed, the sound almost tearing Alucard's eardrums. He fought to regain his concentration.

_Come back to me, Soma._

The great beast distended its mouth again, and this time a mass of maggots flew out in neat, orderly lines, as though someone had trained them to do so. Alucard instinctively dodged as the putrid worms weaved towards him. In one swift movement, he rose up in the air, cape billowing, and clung to the ceiling like a bat. The hungry little larvae scuttled eagerly up the walls and along the ceiling, persistently chasing their target.

The beast was beneath him now, raising a taloned paw towards him. Alucard let himself fall from the ceiling, slicing its hideous face with all his might. It jerked backwards with a grunt of pain as Alucard descended on the ground gracefully. The maggots wriggled their slimy little bodies into the cracks in the ceilings and disappeared.

There was no time to catch his breath. The beast was already in the air, coming down furiously upon him. Alucard glided swiftly across the floor underneath it, and the ground shook as the beast landed next to him with a thunderous thump.

_I really wanted to protect you._

Alucard spun around, took aim at its left knee and made three rapid, successive slashes. This only served to infuriate the dragon. It swiped him with a claw like a man swatting a fly, and the force of the blow sent the dhampir flying backwards and smashing against the wall of the chamber. He landed and steadied himself for a moment, his face rigid with pain.

The beast would not give him a chance to recover. Alucard glanced up and saw its colossal form descending upon him again, and he quickly rolled away as it hit the ground heavily, the impact of its landing sending plaster and tiles falling from the walls.

Frustrated that the dhampir had managed to dodge its attack, the beast bellowed with anger. Alucard seized the opportunity and slashed at its ankle, one of its vulnerable points. The monster thrashed about in distress, and raised a clawed foot to kick him. The dhampir reacted instantly by transforming into a cloud of mist, rising up and then reforming and striking at the confused beast.

_Come back. I promise I won't hurt you anymore._

And so the two souls danced in the grand throne room, the agile dhampir with the massive, stomping dragon relentlessly vomiting out its repulsive insects, all this amidst the shrieks of the harpy and the tortured cries of the thousands of souls within the beast's belly. Alucard's sanity was wearing thin, and he struggled to maintain focused. He knew that all his attacks so far only served to slow down the monster, and there was only one way to destroy it. He had to find the right moment.

Letting loose a determined roar, the monster leaped at him again with renewed vigor. Alucard retreated to the far corner of the chamber. He gathered himself together, summoned all the power he had and cast another round of hellfire at it. The flames drew a grimace from the beast, whose jaws twisted into something that looked like a smirk. As if mocking his fireball attacks, the beast lurched forward, opened its horrific jaws, and belched out a long tongue of flame. The entire chamber had become an incinerator, and the wave of red-orange fire rolled towards him, sucking the breath from his lungs.

The dhampir instantly soared into the air, his body taking the form of a bat. Black smoke from the fire beneath billowed up and filled the room. Seizing the confusion, Alucard flew along the ceiling until he was certain the beast was right below him, and then he transformed back to human, clinging on to the ceiling.

It was now or never.

_Let Soma go, you foul demon. Mother will never forgive you!_

He dropped down onto the beast, bring his weapon to bear. Thrashing down with his arms, he plunged the sword straight into its chest. It was a precise hit – exactly where the heart should be. Sword tore through flesh and sinew, and the beast's final, anguished howl reverberated through the chamber.

* * *

><p>Alucard knelt beside the broken body of the youth, cradling his head, brushing away the snowy strands that fell over his pale face. Blood pooled beneath him, hardly distinguishable from the color of the carpet, but the youth's countenance held a look of peace. The eyes were back to their original pools of clear blue, as pure as the skies, and the dhampir gazed into them through a blur of tears. Memories flooded his mind, images and words he had cherished lovingly and protectively within him, emotions buried so deep that nobody could see them. <em>Say it, say why you made such a big fuss over me... Adrian<em>... _Don't you feel anything towards me? … I don't want to be some dark lord, I just want to be with you… _Innocent azure eyes gazing into his, like mirrors reflecting his own loneliness. All the actions held back, words left unsaid. If only... and what if.

"You will be fine, just like the last time," Alucard comforted him, gently pressing his lips against his forehead. "You will be your old self once more." His voice wavered ever so slightly.

The youth drew in a long, labored breath, wincing from the exertion. A weariness fell over his face. "It's okay," his lips moved to mouth the words. "Soon… I will be free."

Alucard shook his head adamantly, his long flaxen locks brushing Soma's hand. "No. You will be fine. I will bring you back, and when you have recovered we will play _Liebestraum_ together again," he whispered fiercely. He gathered the youth in his arms and made a movement as if to stand up, but stopped when Soma clutched his sleeve.

"I just want to know, Adrian… have you ever loved me?" Soma asked in a scarcely audible voice. His eyes still held that beautiful shimmer within them.

"I love you," the dhampir said hoarsely, as blood-tinged tears fell in droplets and mingled with the scarlet on the ground. The light in the youth's eyes was gradually fading, slipping away. "Come back, Soma. Don't leave me alone here. Please, come back to me."

The youth managed a contented smile, just barely. "I will. Remember me, always."

**End**


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